A Hot Chocolate Kind of Day

It has been ccchhhilly here in LA lately.

I mean, it's like in the 50's.

Brrrr.

Seriously, though, my house is freezing

and I've been spending my nights bundled up on the couch.

Even Cheeto is huddled up in the corner.

This past weekend it seemed like the perfect time

to make some hot chocolate

and finally send out some Christmas cards.

Card writing is always better with some peppermint bark!

Weekend Happenings

We had a rather low key weekend here

involving a sick baby (pink eye and a nasty cold),

a pancake breakfast,

and a holiday baking day.

crusty pink eye 

pancake morning

 mmm....prunes

holiday treats 

almost crawling

We have yet to put up the Christmas decorations

(there are still mini pumpkins on our table!)

but we are slowly getting into the holiday spirit.

Things just seem to take a bit more time

when you have a little one to chase after.

Hope you all had a good weekend!

Lately...

I've been neglecting this little bloggy blog a lot lately,

but that doesn't mean I don't think about it often.

So many times during the week something will happen, or I'll make a new recipe and I'll think,

"Hey, that'd make a good blog post!"

And then the baby cries.  Or dinner needs to be made.  

Or I just want to sit and watch Bill & Giuliana.
So to get things rolling again, here's an update of my life lately...

***

Evelyn has started solids.  Which has meant middle of the night poopslosions.
I believe this is butternut squash.

My husband's fish Grimlock that he's had since college passed away.
I'm pretty sure it's the only time I've been really sad to lose a fish.
RIP big guy.

I got all fancied up and attended a gala with my sister.
I rented my dress, a Badgley Mischka, from Rent The Runway.
I don't think I'm every buying a fancy dress again.

Aren't we glamorous?

And someone had her first ear infection
but smiled and laughed her way through most of it.

Note the runny nose
and reflection of her cute little butt in the mirror.

***

I've got  few posts planned for the near future.
Here's to hoping I actually am able to get them done!

Happy December!

Cat In A Box

I was sitting at my desk doing some work on my computer

when I turned around and found this...

I have no idea how long he was sitting there

but he looks kinda ashamed to be caught.

Happy Sunday!

Surviving the Lowest Point - Our Last Day in Death Valley!

After a good night's sleep in a comfy bed,

we visited some old trains and wagons scattered around the ranch

before filing up on some really expensive gas

and heading out to our final stops in the park.

We hiked partway into Golden Canyon...

Where I fell in love with the layered rock formations.

Then we headed to the Devil's Golf Course

where strange salt formations have formed 

where Lake Manly once stood.

Next was the Artist's Drive,

named for the colors found in the mountains,

like a painter's palette. 

Then it was the natural bridge,

which looked like it was about to fall any second now.

And finally, one of the highlights of the trip,

the Badwater Basin.

It's the lowest point in the Northern Hemisphere

at 282 feet below sea level.

And it's only 135 miles from Mt. Whitney,

the highest point in the Northern Hemisphere.

Crazy, huh?

A looooong time ago, this was covered by water.

Like this lake, but much bigger...

When it dried up in the 120 degree heat

it left these salt flats that look and kinda feel like snow.

And, according to my sister, it tastes very salty.

Go figure.

After Badwater Basin, we headed out of the park

and on our way home.

But not before running into this guy trying to cross the road.

He was just about the only wildlife we saw all weekend.

After that, we felt like our trip was complete,

and started the four hour drive back home.

My little Prius drove about 1,000 miles in 3 days,

including several dirt roads, and held up like a champ

(and got about 45 mpg!)

I would have never thought to take a trip to Death Valley,

but after seeing how beautiful it really is,

and how much it has to offer,

I can't wait to take the hubby back someday.

Thanks for tagging along, 

and sticking with me for a week's worth 

of Death Valley posts!

Critters, Craters, and Ghost Towns...Day Two in Death Valley.

After spending our first night in the 

luxurious accommodations at Stovepipe Wells,

we headed back out to the sand dunes.

We'd read that if you visit them early in the morning

you can often find tracks left by various critters overnight.

We found tracks all over the place!

Mainly leading in and out of the bushes.

It was cool to see that life really does exist in the barren landscape.

We took a few more pictures of the dunes,

and my baby bump shadow,

before heading out on the road.

Our next stop was the Ubehebe Crater,

a volcanic crater formed between 2,000-7,000 years ago.

The road leading up to the crater

made us feel like we were on the moon.

The crater itself is about a half mile wide and over 770 feet deep.

The crater walls reminded me of the Grand Canyon. 

You would think some things are self explanatory.

Next up was Scotty's Castle,

literally a large castle built in the middle of nowhere.

It was built in the 1920's and was used as a vacation home 

for a wealthy midwesterner.

This was probably my least favorite part of the trip.

I thought the whole thing was ugly and boring.

Our next stop was much more interesting.

After the castle, we drove out to Beatty, NV

where right outside of town is a ghost town called Rhyolite.

It was started as a mining town in 1905

but by 1920, the ore had been exhausted, 

the stock market crashed, 

and the population dropped to zero.

All that's left now are a bunch of building ruins

and a creepy wind blowing through town.

On the road leading into Rhyolite,

there's a "museum" of sorts full of very eerie statues.

There's the Last Supper...

 A ghost riding a bicycle...

A nude lego lady...

And a cowboy with a penguin...

These strange sculptures definitely added to the creepy factor

of the ghost town in the middle of nowhere.

It kinda felt like we were part of some strange dream

or horror movie.

After Rhyolite, we headed back into the park

to see a few more sights before calling it a day.

There was Zabriske's Point...

Dante's Peak at 5,000 feet above the salt flats down below...

And finally, our hotel at Furnace Creek Ranch...

This was another long day full of driving,

but also full of so many interesting sights.

I was very happy to spend the night in a real bed

before heading out for our final day in the park

and a long drive home.

If you've stuck with me this far, hang in there...

our last day brings the lowest point in North America,

salt formations, natural bridge, and a coyote!